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Ukraine’s secretive special forces unit, nicknamed ‘Russian ship hunters’, has been credited with another hit, this time in the occupied Crimean peninsula.
Explosions were reported overnight in the city of Kerch, near Vladimir Putin’s very personal project – the Kerch Bridge – which links the territory to mainland Russia.
Footage circulating on Telegram shows the blast, while air raid sirens blared in the distance and the bridge was closed.
It was revealed this morning that Ukraine’s Group 13, made up of maritime drone operators, was behind the attack at Uzka Bay.
The extensive damage to the Kerch Strait bridge in Crimea after the Ukrainian sabotage attack on October 12, 2022 (Picture: EPA-EFE)
Deploying Magura V5 maritime drones, the unit claimed to have damaged at least two Russian boats.
According to preliminary data, these are KS-701 ‘Tunets’ high-speed amphibious transport boats, which are used mainly by Russian border guards and emergency services.
A video released by Ukraine’ Ministry of Defence shows the drone hitting at least two targets during an attack on a ship depot in the Black Sea.
A statement said: ‘On May 30, 2024, the special unit of the GUR of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine Group 13 with the help of Ukrainian Magura V5 marine attack drones successfully attacked the ship-boat depot of the aggressor state of Russia in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
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Group 13 has already destroyed more than half a dozen Russian vessels, including the ‘Ivanovets’ missile ship, the ‘Serhii Kotov’ patrol ship and the ‘Admiral Makarov’ frigate.
Their main weapon of choice is the Magura V5, a Ukrainian attack sea drone that can carry up to 300kg of explosives.
Russian forces deployed multiple fighter jets to fend off Ukraine’s advances, but with limited success.
The Kremlin admitted there had been damage to both a car and a rail ferry used to supply Crimea from Russia.
Putin-appointed Crimean transport minister Nikolay Lukashenko said: ‘Two ferries – a car ferry and a train ferry – were damaged by missile fragments when an attack on transport infrastructure in the city of Kerch was being repelled.
’The panels of windows were damaged. No casualties among sailors or civilians were reported.’
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